For almost 30 years, the BP terminal at Sullom Voe has been bringing in oil from far beneath 1000 acres of seabed between Shetland and Norway. But the company’s innovation doesn’t just extend to the technology and expertise required to run one of the biggest oil terminals in Europe – it has also made great strides in looking after its workforce.

This year BP Sullom Voe became one of the very first employers in Scotland to achieve the Gold Award in the inaugural Healthy Working Lives Award Programme. The award was given in recognition of the company’s efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of staff, take care of the environment, and improve the working lives of members in the local community.

The oil terminal offers regular health checks to its 450-strong workforce which include both BP employees and contractors. The checks – which include blood pressure, weight, body mass index, full cholesterol screening and blood glucose testing – are used to provide customised health plans, tailored to individual employees’ requirements.

The checks also help the company to choose the topics covered in the terminal’s ongoing health awareness campaigns. Past campaigns have helped to raise awareness of health issues including bowel cancer, with early-detection testing kits made available to all workers.

The focus on health promotion extends to the terminal’s canteen, where a wide range of healthy options are available. All meals are prepared using low-fat, low-salt alternatives wherever possible, and every vending machine on-site dispenses healthy choices.

The Award Programme, which is run by the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, has helped BP to take a number of steps to maintain the mental health as well as the physical well-being of its staff. All team leaders are given training to help them recognise the early signs of stress in their workers and offer appropriate assistance.

Help and support is also offered directly to the terminal’s workers, many of whom work shifts. Each shift worker has been trained in stress management techniques and given access to a communal “quiet room” in which they can relax during night shifts. The occupational health department has also produced a booklet full of tips for handling shift-work stress.

Ensuring the safety of employees is an essential part of BP’s business, and maintaining Sullom Voe’s excellent safety record is a major focus. The frequency of incidents is closely monitored and logged into a software system which tracks the progress of each entry, with the aim of improving the terminal’s overall safety performance.

BP Sullom Voe also works to improve the occupational health of the community. Terminal staff have offered the benefit of their expertise to Shetland Council of Social Services, providing a selection of checks including display screen assessments, a health and fitness screening programme, and a comprehensive safety audit. The work is ongoing with future plans including first aid and manual handling training.

BP’s community work also involves providing much-needed supplies to worldwide charities, including the Matumaini School of Hope in Tanzania, which cares for disabled children, and Phili’s Angels, which works to help the needy in the Philippines.

Neil McCracken, BP Sullom Voe Terminal Manager, says the company intends to build on its success achieved in the Healthy Working Lives Award Programme.

“We’re very proud of the effort that each of our workers has contributed towards the Gold Award,” he says. “We are committed to continuing our efforts to improve health and safety at the terminal.

“We have already drawn up an action plan to maintain our high standards, and will be aiming to reduce sickness absence, promote community health and encourage employees to take responsibility for their own health.”